On the quiet outskirts of Voi town in Sikujua Village, Voi Sub-County in Taita Taveta County, Kilifi-born Phoebiana Mwakera Mshai sits in her rented house surrounded by stacks of school papers, books and her joyful daughter watching cartoons on a television while constantly asking her endless questions, a moment that bring warmth to her life even as she battles a series of health challenges that many cannot imagine.
Her resilience and commitment to teaching have become a testament to her strength and determination, especially in a world where the journey of people with disabilities is often riddled with challenges, isolation, and stigmatization.
Born in 1981, Mshai was welcomed into the world with a rare condition called spina bifida myelomeningocele, where her spinal cord was exposed, a condition that required an immediate operation.
Six months of medical care marked her infancy, and from then on, the world around her was one of constant adaptation. Her parents, with limited knowledge but boundless love, embarked on a journey of understanding her condition, learning through trial and error on how to protect and nurture her.
Growing up, Mshai was not your typical child. While others ran and played, she was restricted from any vigorous activities. Her teachers were instructed to excuse her from sports, and her participation in school activities was often limited to watching from the sidelines.
“In school, I was not participating in any sport activity. I was just holding a rope, my colleagues run but I just hold a rope. I could not do any vigorous activity. When I joined primary, in class 4, we went to Taita and still my father told the teachers that I should not participate in any vigorous or heavy duties. I have never carried anything heavy. I didn’t know why by then,” narrates Mshai.
As the years went by, her body responded differently to injuries as wounds on her right leg healed painfully slowly, eventually leading to a severe infection that left her partially paralyzed. Yet, even then, she pursued her dreams with zeal and determination.
In high school and later in college, she encountered some of her biggest battles. While other students tackled the stress of exams and social pressures, Mshai struggled with severe pain and a near-complete loss of mobility.
In her final years of college, she decided to work alongside her peers on strenuous farm tasks to earn tuition fees. The effort that left her bedridden for over a term, but she managed to graduate and ready to embrace the life of a teacher.
“When I reached college, the biggest challenge now was school fees. I decided to go and work with other colleagues in the farm, carrying heavy materials which then made me to paralyze for one and a half terms. I couldn’t do anything, even turning my neck was a problem. I realized this was as a result of the spinal cord challenge that I have,” states Mshai.
She married her partner, George Mwakesi, in 2009, a union she describes as a blessing.
However, the dreams of motherhood introduced another series of challenges. After being unable to conceive, she sought answers and discovered that spina bifida had caused a deficiency in folic acid, affecting her fertility.
Determined, she followed a regimen of folic acid and, to her joy, conceived.
“The doctors told me that when born with that problem, it means someone lacks folic acid hence not able to get pregnant. Therefore, before getting pregnant, doctors told me that I should drink folic acid for three months to be able to get pregnant. I took the folic acid and eventually I got pregnant without even knowing,” Mshai explains.
But the pregnancy was far from smooth. Months of heavy bleeding and difficulties in walking followed, testing her physical and emotional strength. Her child arrived in 2013, but with complications that left her grappling with yet another condition, obstructive hydrocephalus, a buildup of fluid in the brain.
Following the birth, her body responded violently as she lost vision in one eye, began seeing double objects, and she developed constant headaches.
“After delivering the child in December 2013, I got very serious headache that continued until one of my eyes could not see anymore. The other eye was seeing double objects, and I was walking like a drunkard,” explains Mshai.
Despite various hospital visits, MRIs, and consultations, her condition remained a mystery to most medical professionals. Eventually, she was diagnosed with obstructive hydrocephalus, a condition linked to her childhood surgery, where pressure buildup within her brain impaired her vision. It took a marathon 12-hour surgery to relieve this pressure, and even after, Mshai continued to struggle with severe side effects.
“Some people around me often think I’m exaggerating. People see me looking well on the outside, but inside, I’m fighting a constant battle. In my first school, they couldn’t understand, and every day, I relied on painkillers to cope. My current workplace is more supportive, but managing everyday tasks is still a challenge,” she says, her voice filled with pain.
Her diagnosis of idiopathic thrombocytopenia which is a condition causing bleeding under the skin also added to her already complex medical issues. Painkillers, necessary to manage her persistent pain, ironically contributed to this condition, further complicating her life. The combination of spina bifida, hydrocephalus, and autoimmune issues has left her physically fragile, but mentally, she remains a pillar of strength.
“By taking painkillers for a long time, they brought me another problem called idiopathic thrombocytopenia where I bleed under the skin with patches on my skin. Currently there is a medicine I’m using that is why the patches are not seen. The condition sometimes makes me to lose a lot of blood that it forces me to either be added blood or platelets depending on which one is low,” explains Mshai.
Beyond her personal challenges, Mshai’s focus has turned outward, towards advocacy. Her experience navigating a world that often misunderstands and isolates people with disabilities has inspired her to envision a school dedicated to children with disabilities.
“There are so many children with disabilities who, like me, could achieve so much if only someone believed in them. Many bright children are held back, not by their abilities, but by society’s lack of understanding and resources,” she shares.
The road to this dream is challenging, especially with her financial constraints. Medical expenses have drained her resources, and despite a supportive husband who shoulders many of their household’s costs, the burden remains heavy.
Nevertheless, Msahi is relentless, writing proposals and seeking sponsors to fund her vision of a school where children with disabilities can thrive without fear of rejection or discrimination.
“These challenges have made me start writing proposals looking for grants to start a school that will help children with disability. There are even brighter students there but because of disability, some don’t even get the opportunity to pursue their careers because people get tired with them, and they are left,” states Mshai adding, “This made me to feel the urge of having a school and if I can get sponsors for the same in this county and beyond, I can help children with autism, cerebral palsy, spina bifida and all kinds of disability to achieve their dreams just like I did. If my parents could give up on me, I could not be a teacher. I thank God because it did not affect my intelligence.”
“I’m grateful for the support of my husband, who has stood by me through every setback. If my parents hadn’t believed in me, if my husband didn’t stand by me, I don’t know where I’d be. I want to give other children with disabilities that same opportunity, that same support,” she says.
Meanwhile, with her ongoing health complications that require frequent medical attention, Mshai has exhausted every avenue including her teacher insurance cover to cater for her hospital bills.
Currently, she relies on cash to cover her medical expenses, a situation that is made difficult by her limited financial resources.
“I need to see a gynecologist, but the new system under the Social Health Authority (SHA) does not include specialists, leaving me to fend for myself,” she explains.
Her frustration is evident as she calls on the Kenyan government to revamp the health sector, particularly by reinstating the benefits of the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) that once provided comprehensive coverage.
In the past, with NHIF, visiting Moi County Referral Hospital for her medical needs was seamless as she could receive necessary treatments without worrying about payments.
However, the current policy mandates that patients start at dispensaries, which often lack essential medical personnel like surgeons and specialists.
“This process is not only time-consuming but also detrimental to my health, especially when I require emergency care,” she laments.
The administrative formula employed by SHA forces her to endure unnecessary suffering as she navigates a health system that seems ill-equipped to handle her urgent needs.
Despite her contributions to both SHA and the teachers’ insurance, Mshai finds herself burdened with out-of-pocket expenses. “Every time I visit Moi, I’m hit with consultation fees and lab costs that I can’t afford,” she shares.
She calls out the government to include specialist doctors in insurance coverage to ensure that those with critical health needs receive the care they deserve.
“It’s frustrating to pay for a service that doesn’t provide adequate support when it’s needed most. I hope for a healthcare system that prioritizes patients’ welfare over administrative obstacles,” she added.
Today, Mshai symbolizes the power of resilience. She is not just a teacher but an inspiration for those who live with invisible battles, a voice for children who dream but lack the support to realize those dreams. Her life is a testament to endurance and hope, showing that while spina bifida may not heal, the human spirit can endure, adapt, and inspire.
If you would like to help Phoebiana Mwakera Mshai achieve her vision, please reach out at 0748083452. Your support can make a difference.
